Do you get a little emotional when you see animals die? Do you swerve to avoid hitting squirrels? Do you refuse to eat anything that still has eyes?
I certainly do. The summer I interned on a family farm, I helped to process the chickens. That meant cutting off the heads and feet, scalding and plucking the feathers, gutting, and packaging them. I did all this, but I could never bring myself to actually do the killing; that is, to slit the throat while the chicken was upside down in a cone (like to the one on the bottom left) on the tree. I couldn't even look at them while they died. It seemed so...inhumane.
But the trouble is, I truly feel I need to eat meat.
Some say that humans have evolved to eat meat, and we are designed to function off of the rich protein source. For example, Loren Cordain, author of The Paleo Diet, believes there is scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that humans should eat much more lean meat and far less grains.
I personally feel significantly stronger, have more stamina, and feel more satisfied when I eat meat. This is helps to support my active lifestyle and keep me energized for activities like biking, kickboxing, lifting weights, playing with my dog, etc.
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| Ozark and Me in the woods of AR |
[Isn't he cute?!]
But besides my aversion to killing animals, which makes me believe I should not eat sentient beings, I have also learned of the environmental impact that eating meat, especially industrially produced meat, can have. For example, cattle farms are a large reason for deforestation in the Amazon. And some of the farming practices of animal feeding operations can cause water and air pollution of many kinds.
So the BIG question I have to ask myself is: can I practice an eco-foodie, kind lifestyle while eating meat?
And the truth is, I am still not sure.
But the closest I have come to feeling better about it all is eating meat that is produced in a more environmentally responsible way and allows the animals more freedoms and a slightly more natural lifestyle than the industrial farms do. The only meat I can be sure is produced in this way is made close to home by farmers that I know and trust.
So while I am still contemplating the impact my meat consumption has on the environment, I am trying to make concessions by consuming more meat from local sources rather than industrial animal feeding operations.
It can be difficult to always know the best choice for myself and the environment, but if I continue to be informed on the issues and practice, as best I can, a lifestyle that is kind to the world, I believe it can make a positive difference!
What are your thoughts on eating meat?
